Already making the rounds on blogs, news of Holy Ship! promoter Cloud 9 blacklisting shippers has reached far and wide.
Known by its own members and by jealous ravers over the country as one of the most tight-knit groups in electronic music, #shipfam is understandably distraught by the news that an official from Cloud 9 was allegedly spying on their social media activity and collecting names.
“After one fan posted his notice around 3 PM PST, scores of shippers revealed they had received the same notification. The response by all fans has been one of shock, anger, and also betrayal.” 
“We were very disappointed to see your recent comments in a Holy Ship! group page on Facebook – your posts have been documented and brought to our attention,” reads the letter.
Shippers who were blacklisted are apparently banned from future Holy Ship! cruises and “future events,” though we’re not sure if that means all HARD events as well, including their summer and Halloween festivals. Blacklisted attendees who have already reserved a room will receive a full refund.
[T]he notifications reassert the organizers’ zero-tolerance policy for drugs and that “public remarks made about bringing illegal controlled substances onto the ship and in effect crossing a national [sic] border with contraband” prompted the cancellations.
While it is a perhaps egregious invasion of privacy, remarks about drug use on social media could potentially turn into a liability for Holy Ship! were anything to happen, and we understand the actions they took, even if the method behind them is suspect.
#Shipfam is adamant that anyone blacklisted is not true #shipfam, and that next year’s voyage will sail smoothly as before.
Source: THUMP
